Aimed quadrant warhead

ABSTRACT

A cylindrical warhead having four separate explosive quadrant sections which contain destructive fragments. Any one quadrant section can be ejected to expose the destructive fragments and the opposite quadrant section detonated to propel the fragments in a selectable direction.

United States Patent Inventors John M. Allred Houston, Tex.; BernardvanZyl, Altamonte Springs; Robert L. Hoch, Orlando, Fla.

Appl. No. 808,707

Filed Mar. 19, 1969 Patented Feb. 23, I971 Ass g The United States ofAmerica as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, by mesneassignments AIMED QUADRANT WARHEAD 17 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 102/56 Int. Cl F42b 3/08 Field of Search 102/24 PrimaryExaminer-Verlin R. Pendegrass An0rneysE. .l. Brower, A. L. Branning andT. 0 Watson, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A cylindrical warhead having four separate explosive quadrantsections which contain destructive fragments. Any one quadrant sectioncan be ejected to expose the destructive fragments and the oppositequadrant section detonated to propel the fragments in a selectabledirection.

PATENTEU FEB23 |97| SHEET 2 [1F 2 STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention The presentinvention relates to a warhead and, more particularly, to a warhead inwhich destructive fragments can be directed into any one quadrantsurrounding the longitudinal axis of the warhead.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art warheads usually incorporatedfragments positioned on the outer surface of the warhead to either bepropelled radially of the warhead or axially of the warhead. Thefragments were prepositioned and thus their direction of travel once thewarhead had been launched was fixed. Also in the prior art weremechanically aimed warheads. warheads of this type are oriented in themissile to fire toward the target by mechanical actuators which respondto fusing signals in the warhead. This arrangement is not very practicalsince the warhead must be moved within the missile during flight.Movement of the warhead involves high inertial loads which cause longresponse times. Also, movement of the warhead during flight inducesmoments into the missile which can affect its flight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention overcomes the problems of theprior art by providing a cylindrical warhead having separate quadrantsof explosives. In the center of the cylindrical warhead are provideddestructive fragments. Any one of the four quadrants can be ejected fromits position surrounding the fragments and the explosive quadrantopposite from the ejected quadrant can be detonated thereby propellingthe destructive fragments through the space left by the ejected segment.In this way, the direction of travel of the fragments can be controlledby a signal causing ejection of any one of the quadrants and causingsubsequent detonation of the segment opposite to the ejected segment.

An object of the present invention is the provision ofa warhead, thedestructive effects of which can be channeled into a chosen direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cylindricalwarhead containing destructive fragments, several portions of thewarhead being selectively openable to project the fragments in a chosendirection.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a warheadhaving a section which can be ejected from the warhead to provide anopening through which destructive fragments can be propelled upondetonation of the warhead.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows one embodiment ofapplicants warhead having a portion thereof cutaway;

FIG. 2 shows two quadrant halves of applicants warhead joined with aconnecting rod and having an explosive ejection unit therebetween;

FIG. 3 shows the explosive ejection unit of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows two quadrant halves of applicants warhead joined with aconnecting rod and having a propellant ejection unit therebetween; and

FIGS. 5 through 8 show schematically the operation of applicantswarhead.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 which illustrates thepreferred embodiment of the warhead shows a missile generally designated11 including a missile skin 12. A warhead generally designated by 14 iscarried with the missile skin. The warhead is made up of four sections,only three of which 15, 16 and 18 are shown in FIG. 1 Each quadrantincludes two sections of explosives. As can be seen in FIG. 1, quadrant15 contains segments 19 and 20 and quadrant 18 contains segments 21 and22. Between the explosive segments of each quadrant is an ejection meansas shown at 24 and 25. More than one type of ejection means can be usedand two of the alternatives will be discussed below. The segments ofeach quadrant are connected to each other with a connecting rod such as26 and a detonator 28 is provided at both ends of each quadrant. At thecenter of the warhead is a plurality of layered destructivefragments-29.

The purpose of the ejection means 24 and 25 is to eject the halves of aselected quadrant thereby exposing the fragments. FIGS. 2 and 3 show onetype of ejection means that can be used. FIG. 2 shows two halves of aquadrant, such as 19 and .20 having holes 29 and 30 therein and aconnecting rod 26 in the holes. Rod 26 may be slightly force-fitted intothe holes to retain the halves together until a certain amount ofparting force is applied to them. To apply the parting force applicantsprovide a metal plate 31 having ribs 4 thereon and an explosive cord 32wound between the ribs, see FIG. 4. Each side of the plate is sandwichedbetween the two halves. When both cords are initiated the resultingexplosion overcomes the retaining effect of connecting rod 26 and halves18 and 20 are parted thereby exposing the fragments inside the warhead.The size of explosive 32 should be chosen to be large enough to quicklypart the two halves but at the same time small enough not to detonatethe two valves before they are clear of the warhead.

F IG. 4 shows another type of propellent means that can be used. Halvesl9 and 20 contain cavities 35 and 36 and extensions of these cavities38and 39. Within cavities 35 and 36 is provided container 40 for apropellen't material which can be ignited by fuse 41. Connecting rod 26%is fitted into cavity extensions 38 and 39. Upon initiation of fuse 41liquid propellant is ejected from either end of container 40, therebyovercoming the retaining effect of rod 26and parting halves l9 and 20 toexpose the fragments within the warhead.

OPERATION Regardless of which of the ejection arrangements used, thegeneral operation of applicants warhead is the same and can be seeninFIGS. 5 through 8. The preferred method of operation is to determine,once the missile has been launched and is in the vicinity of the target,in which quadrant relative to the longitudinal axis of the missile thetarget lies. The means for doing this forms no part of the invention.One possible means would be a proximity arrangement such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 3,136,251 to Witow. Such an arrangement could be providedin the missile to detect the target and to activate the proper ejectionmeans and after a time lag, the opposite detonators. When it isdetermined in which quadrant the target lies, the quadrant of thewarhead is ejected by initiation of the ejection means as seen in FIGS.5 and 6. After a time lag, which in experiment has been approximately 2milliseconds,

the quadrant opposite to the ejected quadrant is detonated at both ofits ends, FIG. 7, thereby detonating the entire warhead and ejecting thedestructive fragments through the quadrant of the missile which hadcontained the ejected sections. This can be seen in FIG. 8.

Another possible method of operation is to preset the warhead beforelaunch to eject a particular quadrant and to initiate the oppositequadrant and then to aim the warhead anywhere in the proper quadrantsurrounding the target.

The means for fusingand actuating; the warhead form no part of thisinvention and this can be carried out by techniques known in the art.Obviously, for proper operation of the warhead the missile will have tobe provided with some means, for example, a gyroscope, to prevent itfrom rotating randomly about its longitudinal axis.

Applicants have provided a warhead in which the destructive effects canbe directed in a single quadrant surrounding its axis. This permitsconstruction of a lighter warhead having the same destructive effects inthe chosen quadrant as larger prior art warheads or the construction ofa warhead having the same weight as the prior art warhead withmuchgreater destructive effects in the chosen quadrant.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in view of the above teachings. For example, any means toretain the quadrant halves until a certain amount of parting force isapplied can be used and a retaining rod is not the only means possible.Further, other ejection arrangements for parting the quadrant would bepossible. Also, the warhead could be divided into sections smaller thanquadrants such as sixths or eighths and the destructive effectschanneled into their smaller area. Similarly, it could be divided intolarge sections, for example, thirds or halves and the destructiveeffects channeled into this larger area. Also, the quadrant sections donot necessarily have to be initiated at both ends, however, applicantshave found that this produces much higher fragment velocities thandetonation at a single point. The explosive segments can beself-contained or possibly could be contained within a casing of verylight metal. Similarly, a casing of very light metal could be providedfor the fragments at the center of the warhead. The fragments themselvescould contain explosive or could be layered in explosives to increasetheir destructive effect. These are examples of just a few of the manymodifications possible in view of the above teachings.

We claim:

1. A warhead comprising:

a plurality of separate explosive segments defining a central cavity insaid warhead;

destructive fragments with said cavity;

means for removing any of said explosive segments to expose said centralcavity; and

means for detonating the remaining explosive segments.

2. The warhead of claim 1 wherein said means for comprises an explosiveelement for propelling said segment away from the warhead.

3. The warhead of claim 2 wherein each of said segments is made up oftwo sections and said explosive element is positioned between said twosections to propel them apart.

4. The warhead of claim 1 wherein said means for removing comprises apropellant for propelling each segment away from the warhead.

5. The warhead of claim 4 wherein each of said segments is made up oftwo sections and said propellant is positioned between said two sectionsto propel them apart.

6. The warhead of claim 1 wherein each of said segments is made up oftwo sections, said means for removing is positioned between said twosections and there is provided means for releasably retaining said twosections together.

7. The warhead of claim 6 wherein said means for removing is anexplosive element.

8. The warhead of claim 6 wherein said means for removing is apropellant.

9. The warhead of claim 6 wherein each of said two sections has a holetherein and said retaining means comprises a rod force-fitted into theholes.

10. The warhead of claim 1 wherein said warhead is cylindrical and eachof said segments forms one quadrant of said cylindrical warhead.

11. The warhead of claim 10 wherein each of said segments is made up oftwo sections in end-to-end relation and said removing means is providedbetween said two section.

12. The warhead of claim 11 wherein means are provided for releasablyretainin said two sections together.

13. The warhead 0 claim 12 wherein each of said two sections has a holetherein and said retaining means comprises a rod force-fitted into theholes.

14. The warhead of claim 13 wherein said detonating means is provided atboth ends of each quadrant, the quadrant opposite from the'removedquadrant being detonated simultaneously at both of its ends.

15. The warhead of claim 14 wherein said removing means comprises anexplosive element.

16. The warhead of claim 14 wherein said removing means comprises apropellant.

17. The warhead of claim 15 wherein said explosive element comprises ametal plate, each side thereof having a plurality of substantiallyparallel ribs thereon and an explosive cord wound on each side of saidplate between said ribs.

1. A warhead comprising: a plurality of separate explosive segmentsdefining a central cavity in said warhead; destructive fragments withsaid cavity; means for removing any of said explosive segments to exposesaid central cavity; and means for detonating the remaining explosivesegments.
 2. The warhead of claim 1 wherein said means for comprises anexplosive element for propelling said segment away from the warhead. 3.The warhead of claim 2 wherein each of said segments is made up of twosections and said explosive element is positioned between said twosections to propel them apart.
 4. The warhead of claim 1 wherein saidmeans for removing comprises a propellant for propelling each segmentaway from the warhead.
 5. The warhead of claim 4 wherein each of saidsegments is made up of two sections and said propellant is positionedbetween said two sections to propel them apart.
 6. The warhead of claim1 wherein each of said segments is made up of two sections, said meansfor removing is positioned between said two sections and there isprovided means for releasably retaining said two sections together. 7.The warhead of claim 6 wherein said means for removing is an explosiveelement.
 8. The warhead of claim 6 wherein said means for removing is apropellant.
 9. The warhead of claim 6 wherein each of said two sectionshas a hole therein and said retaining means comprises a rod force-fittedinto the holes.
 10. The warhead of claim 1 wherein said warhead iscylindrical and each of saiD segments forms one quadrant of saidcylindrical warhead.
 11. The warhead of claim 10 wherein each of saidsegments is made up of two sections in end-to-end relation and saidremoving means is provided between said two section.
 12. The warhead ofclaim 11 wherein means are provided for releasably retaining said twosections together.
 13. The warhead of claim 12 wherein each of said twosections has a hole therein and said retaining means comprises a rodforce-fitted into the holes.
 14. The warhead of claim 13 wherein saiddetonating means is provided at both ends of each quadrant, the quadrantopposite from the removed quadrant being detonated simultaneously atboth of its ends.
 15. The warhead of claim 14 wherein said removingmeans comprises an explosive element.
 16. The warhead of claim 14wherein said removing means comprises a propellant.
 17. The warhead ofclaim 15 wherein said explosive element comprises a metal plate, eachside thereof having a plurality of substantially parallel ribs thereonand an explosive cord wound on each side of said plate between saidribs.